Subject: U/R Whispering Flares deck T2
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 16:00:58 +0100
From: anders.warrby@ds.rsv.se
To: fkusumot@Ix.netcom.com

Anders Warrby/DS/RSV@RSV
97-12-23 16:00

Here's my version of the Mana Flare deck. I think i might have been the
person who posted the deck that B. Pluim got inspiration from. I started
building this deck as soon as Tempest came out. One never knows of course..
probably lots of people thought of the same thing at the same time. I had
just never seen a deck like it posted anywhere, thus thought i was first.
Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. Not a big deal. :) Anyway here's what i've
come up with after a long time of playtesting.

24 LAND
15 Islands
5 Mountains
4 Mogg Hollows (lacking better R/G duals) - see Sideboard why

9 RED
4 Mana Flare
3 Earthquake
1 Fireball
1 Hammer of Bogardan

27 BLUE
4 Counterspell
4 Memory Lapse
3 Dismiss
2 Dissipate
2 Spell Blast (!)        Works wonders in late game - in a later experiment
version i've swapped these for 2 Flood Gates (finding out how
     they work with Capsize)
4 Impulse
4 Capsize
4 Whispers of the Muse (draw 3 cards per turn easily.. yumm! )

SB:
4 Hydroblast
4 Pyroblast
4 Scragnoth (against mono blue with buyback, which is this deck's worst
enemy)
1 Earthquake
2 Floodgate (more weenie control against prot. red creatures)

If you can't gain control over this deck during the first 3 or 4 rounds
(which will be hard with Lapses/Counters) Whispering Flares (as i call it)
will take control with card advantage/denial/bouncing until the grand
finale with a mighty Fireball for loads of damage and still having spare
mana for a counter. Alternatively beatdown with Hammer or even Earthquake
for lots to soften opponent up before you kill him with one Hammer. I
definately think this deck is worth trying..

I used to play with Diamonds, but took them out for more speed. Most of the
spells won't mana burn me anyway, and the speed i gain will save me the few
lives that i lose in mana burn. The faster you gain control of the board,
the quicker your opponent will give up. :)

As Bas Pluim mentioned, be careful with tapping out to cast a flare. Be
wary of white decks (armageddon warning and honorable Passage warning..
save counters for the kill). At least save an island so you can
counterspell/lapse in opponent's turn. Don't counter creatures unless they
are especially nasty... wipe them with Earthquakes/Floodgates or Capsizes
instead. Also remember you can Capsize CoPs and other nasty things... no
need to counter right away. Enjoy! :)

Anders Warrby